


if only you would see me (like you see free food)

by tempolarriefix (tempolarriefics)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fake Wedding AU, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-18 13:32:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7317223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tempolarriefics/pseuds/tempolarriefix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>based on the tumblr post "Imagine your OTP proposing repeatedly at different restaurants to get free food"</p><p>the one in which Louis and Harry challenge each other in increasingly ridiculous restaurant proposals to see who can win the other the most free food</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Louis comes up with the idea that this whole fic is about

“I have an idea.”

Harry startled back into a slightly more awake state, pressing his lips against the feathery head of hair resting on his shoulder. “And what would that be?” He asked Louis, his voice laden with sleep.

There was a long pause of nothing but soft breathing, stretching for what seemed like minutes of silence and darkness but was probably only a few seconds. Harry was usually the slow one; he liked to think things through and have his thoughts fully formulated before he let the words come out. But Louis wasn’t like that. Witty, quick, and loud, Louis was confident in whatever he was saying before he even knew what to say.

“I don’t want to make this weird or anything...” Louis said finally, sounding hesitant.

“Make it weird?” Harry huffed out a laugh. “Lou, it’s me.”

They had seen each other at their most vulnerable, knew each other’s most protected secrets. Harry couldn’t think of anything about him that he would be worried to tell Louis. Actually, he couldn’t think of anything about him that Louis didn’t know already.

“I know.” Louis said quickly, burying his face against Harry’s chest. “Not like that.”

Harry paused, his tired brain working rapidly to try to figure out what Louis meant. They were weird together, that was the whole point of being a couple. They had loved each other through thick and thin, and with any luck they always would. There wasn’t any way their dynamic could be uncomfortable or weird in any way.

“I love you.” Harry settled on saying, hoping that would be reassuring enough to coax out whatever it was that Louis was stressed about.

It was. “I just, I don’t want to fuck this up by saying anything too soon.” Louis explained, blue eyes finally blinking open and looking up to meet Harry’s.

Harry nodded sagely, having no idea what Louis meant.

Louis cracked a smile, the confusion probably clearly written on Harry’s face. “You’re right. What am I thinking? It’s us.”

Harry nodded again, waiting patiently for an explanation. When none came, he prodded softly, “Meaning?”

“You...see a future for us, right?” Louis asked, his Yorkshire accent thicker with his sleepiness. “I mean, not now obviously-” Louis added quickly.

“Of course.” Harry interrupted him easily, shaking his head and fighting back the dopey smile that threatened to take over his face. He couldn’t picture a future without Louis, that was the better way of phrasing it. He tilted Louis chin up a bit, pressing a soft kiss at the corner of his lips. “The line between our future and our present isn’t that distinct, Lou. We’re starting our future together already.”

Louis rolled his eyes fondly. “Sap.” He teased, but he was smiling.

“Yep.” Harry grinned, the sight of Louis smile bringing him even more to consciousness. “You know it. You love it.”

“Yeah.” Louis murmured quietly, pecking his lips. “I do.”

“So.” Harry smirked. “Your idea?”

“Oh!” A mischievous look passed over Louis’ face. “Okay, hear me out here.”

Harry rolled his eyes back at Louis. “No.” He joked. “I’m going to stop listening, right now.”

Louis didn’t pay him any mind, swatting at his arm and continuing, “You know how tonight at dinner that red-haired bloke proposed to his girl and they got their meal on the house?”

Harry nodded, frowning a bit as he began to catch on to where Louis was going with this. “Louis...”

“What if,  _ we  _ did that? But not, like, a real proposal of course.” Louis rambled, “If one of us dared propose in the middle of a  _ sandwich shop  _ of all places, I think I would kill us both-” Louis rambled.

“Babe.” Harry couldn’t help but interrupt. “Free food is great and all, but why? We don’t really need it, you know. It’s not really fair to those restaurants.”

Louis pinched Harry’s cheek, right at his dimple. “Such a sweet, kindhearted boy you are, aren’t you? One of the things I love about you.”

Harry barked out a laugh, pulling away from Louis’ teasing fingers. “Seriously, though, it’s like some kind of con scheme isn’t it?”

“Well, a bit.” Louis admitted. He shrugged nonchalantly, blue eyes glinting with the promise of challenge. “But I bet I can win you more free food than you could get me.”

Harry grinned, pressing their noses together and gazing with faux seriousness into Louis’ eyes. “It’s on.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Harry is suspicious of everyone, and Niall is the ultimate Larry shipper although he is confused

The next morning, Louis didn’t mention anything about the proposal con scheme and so Harry didn’t either. He was a bit unsure of how he felt about the whole idea if he was honest. It felt wrong, but he couldn’t really see any harm in it. It was just for shits and giggles, and if the restaurant or wherever they were happened to catch on to the fact that it was a fake proposal, they could always say it was just a practice run, pay for their meal, and leave. There really weren’t too many ways it could go wrong.

And, out of all of the ridiculous schemes of Louis’ that Harry had gone along with over the years, he supposed this one was fairly mild. The last time Louis had one of his crazy ideas, it had started with them attempting to complete a bucket list of fucking in various public places and ended with an extremely appalled taxi driver who nearly drove them off the road when he realized what the two figures in his backseat were doing.

So Harry knew regardless of what he thought, he would probably end up participating in Louis’ latest mischievous plan. He was so gone for the boy, he couldn’t think of too many things that he would be able to say ‘no’ to him about. Louis had him wrapped around his finger, but Harry didn’t mind much.

Harry was bustling around the kitchen, glancing over at where his sleepy boyfriend was perched on the couch every now and then. Working at a bakery, Harry had to be awake and ready far earlier than Louis’ job as a drama teacher required him to be, but Louis usually got out of bed once the smell of breakfast reached their room. Harry had to get up a bit earlier to be able to make Lou breakfast each day, but the grateful sleepy kisses he got made it all worth it.

Louis was uncharacteristically quiet in the mornings, but Harry had grown used to it. Harry was a morning person, ready to greet the day when it started, but Louis would always prefer to stay in bed past noon if possible. Whistling, Harry made a large mug of Yorkshire tea, pouring the extra into a thermos for Louis to take to work.

“Spoiling me rotten, you are,” Louis would text him later when he discovered the thermos in his work bag. 

And Harry would agree. They weren’t the best off financially, so for now little surprises that they were able to afford were the best that Harry could do to give Louis the world.

“Haz?” Louis asked, blinking up at him as Harry was organizing his bag for work.

“Yes, love?” Harry replied, dimpling at the sight of Louis all bundled up on the couch, a smear of chocolate chip from his pancakes on his lips. Harry promptly kissed it off.

“Today...” Louis furrowed his brow, looking like he was struggling to be serious and focus when he clearly just wanted to fall back asleep. “After work?”

“Hmm?’ Harry nodded, waiting patiently. Usually Harry was the one who talked slowly, stretching out his words and the pauses between them. Louis put up with his slow drawl all the time, but Harry couldn’t help but nudge his boyfriend, urging him to finish.

“Can we have, like, an ice cream date?” Louis asked, looking a bit unsure.

And Harry hated that. The uncertainty that tainted Louis’ features, the nervous tremor of voice, the crease between his eyebrows, the tightness of his lips. The fact that Louis had to be hesitant about asking for a simple ice cream date because of how tight their budget was. They might be two broke boys in a tiny flat in London, but they had enough to love to make it through this, through anything.

Harry was a romantic, through and through.

“Of course.” He said easily, smiling reassuringly even as he mentally calculated how this would affect their grocery shopping for the week. If he could bring back leftovers from the bakery for their breakfast tomorrow it would definitely be doable.

A glint of something that Harry couldn’t quite place passed over Louis’ face before being replaced quickly with a radiant smile. “Meet me at the ice cream shoppe after you get off work?”

Harry hesitated for a split second, but nodded. “You can always drop by once you get off and hang out til I close up so we can walk over together...” He offered, knowing full well that Louis knew this was an option. It was what they usually did when they went out after work, since Louis finished a good few hours before Harry did if Harry had to work the closing shift.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but...” Louis turned away, hiding his face as he took a sip of his tea. “Lottie is going to be town, and I’m meeting up with her for dinner?”

“Oh.” Harry felt his face soften. “I didn’t realize your sister was coming in. Are you sure you want to do an ice cream date tonight, babe? We can postpone so you can spend time with her.”

“Too good to me, you are.” Louis teased, his hand snaking up to tweak Harry’s nipple. But Harry had learned nothing from being close with Louis for years if not how to avoid his classic nipple twist. Pulling away just in time, Harry smirked and grabbed his bag.

“So, rain check?’ He asked, struggling to keep the triumphant look on his face from melting into one of fondness.

“Nah.” Louis shook his head, hiding a devious smile in his teacup. It was the smile that made Harry pause at the door more than his words, though both caught him off guard.

“No?” Harry questioned. Louis always wanted to spend time with his family, and certainly didn’t get enough chances to. If any of his sisters were coming to town, even for a brief visit, usually Louis would want to spend every possible moment with them.

“She’s not staying long.” Louis said vaguely. “Just running some errands, I believe.”

Harry nodded slowly, glancing at his watch and sighing at the time. “Well, you’re being a suspicious little shit, but I’ve got to run if I don’t want to be late. So, I love you and I’ll see you tonight at the ice cream shoppe.” He punctuated his goodbye with a kiss to the top of Louis head, followed by a chaste kiss on his lips as Louis looked up from his tea.

“Aren’t I always?” Louis asked with a smirk as Harry headed towards the door, calling out, “Gotta keep you on your toes!”

Harry rolled his eyes and blew another kiss at Lou as he finally forced himself to leave, the taste of Yorkshire tea lingering on his lips.

-

“There you are, mate!” An Irish accent called out cheerfully as Harry burst in the bakery doors, a welcoming bell jangling with the same cheerful tone.

Harry waved at Niall, who worked as the barista at the little bakery and had saved Harry’s late ass yet again. “One of these days I’ll find a way to thank you for covering for me all these times.” Harry promised, smiling apologetically as he tossed down his bag behind the counter and slung an apron over his head.

“No worries,” Niall assured him genuinely, clapping Harry on the back with a grin. “Believe it or not I actually am capable of putting muffins in paper bags.”

Harry shrugged, giving Niall a grateful look. “Thanks, Nialler. I know you are, but ‘s my job you know?”

“Well, I certainly can’t bake them from scratch -  _ that’s _ your job.” Niall replied.

Harry chuckled, washing his hands in the sink and winking at Niall. “On it!” He said easily, turning to head to the back room to start up a batch of croissants. 

“Hey.” Niall said after a moment, as Harry was distracted grabbing the eggs and flour. “Speaking of Louis...”

Harry frowned, pulling a face at Niall and reaching for a mixing bowl. “We weren’t talking about Louis...”

“Oh!” Niall flushed, fumbling over his words for a minute before laughing loudly and saying, “Well I guess I meant to make a crack about you always showing up late because of the great morning sex and never did.”

Harry laughed heartily, reminded again of why Niall was one of his closest friends. He was unabashed with his comments, and always had the best of intentions. Kind, loud, and welcoming, he had a way of making you feel like you were on an adventure and yet safe at home at the same time.

“Alright, well I s’pose I’m glad for your forgetfulness. Though, for the record, that is not why I’m late.” Harry said in a mock stern tone. “What did you want to say about Louis, though?”

Niall hesitated, and Harry felt suspicious for the second time within the hour. “You guys are doing good, yeah?” Niall finally asked.

“Of course.” Harry answered without thinking. He and Louis were always good. “Wait..why do you ask? Did he say something?”

Harry couldn’t help the sudden spiraling panic that his thoughts immediately fled to. All of Louis’ uncertainty around him lately, his secretive mannerisms this morning, him wanting to meet up with Harry rather than coming to visit the bakery like normal. “Oh God.” Harry murmured softly, his mind racing down increasingly irrational paths. Maybe Louis was meeting up with Lottie today to talk about relationship advice, and he wanted to meet up with Harry after to deliver whatever decision he came to during his counseling with his sister. Maybe Louis didn’t want to come by Harry’s work because he needed time away from Harry and wanted to go back to scheduling when they hung out together again. Maybe it was the lack of money, the financial strain that they were going through and Louis had finally realized that he could do so much better.

“Harry.” Niall interrupted, concern lacing his features.

Niall has blue eyes, Harry noticed numbly. Maybe he knows something I don’t because of the blue-eyed bond he shares with Louis. 

“What the fuck.” Niall said flatly, and Harry realized he’d said that last bit out loud. “Get it together, mate.”

“Sorry.” Harry said sheepishly, but his mind was still racing. He couldn’t help but repeat urgently, “Why did you ask about Louis though?”

“Nothing like that, H.” Niall assured, shaking his head and laughing. “The exact opposite, a matter of fact.”

“What does  _ that _ mean?” Harry frowned at Niall’s cryptic answer, but felt himself relaxing nonetheless. Niall laughing was a sign that all was good in the world. If Niall knew anything bad, the guilt would be showing on his face.

“I was asking how you guys are doing, because apparently you’re doing _ really  _ well.” Niall winked.

Harry felt a bit stupid now, blinking back at Niall. “We’re always doing well, Niall. You know that.”

“Yeah, yeah. But  _ really  _ well.” Niall emphasized, grinning as he reorganized the muffin display before freezing up. “Oh my God.” Niall’s face had gone slightly panicked, his blue eyes wide in shock. “You really have no idea, do you?”

“No idea about  _ what _ ?” Harry demanded, feeling increasingly petulant. It seemed like everyone was in on some inside joke that Harry was left out of today.

Niall’s expression had morphed into manic happiness, and Harry couldn’t help but be a bit concerned for his friend. “You really don’t know?” Niall’s asked gleefully, emphasizing each word.

Harry stared blankly at his friend, raising his eyebrows questioningly. “Clearly not. Are you going to tell me?”

Niall laughed loudly, shaking his head before sighing and nodding. “I suppose I owe you after that scare I gave you just now.” His voice dropped to a stage whisper, the kind that is intended to give off the facade of secrecy but is actually just as loud as if he had been speaking regularly. “You didn’t hear this from me, but Louis was asking Zayn...” Niall paused dramatically. “About  _ rings _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much if you're reading this! Please comment if you enjoyed it/want me to continue. I don't usually post WIPs so your encouragement really does keep me going.
> 
> also feel free to say hi to me on tumblr at tempolarriefix.tumblr.com ! I'll definitely follow ya back and probably force you to be my friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis: 1 Harry: 0
> 
> in which harry really thought they were just going out to get ice cream, and finds out that he was very wrong

Harry closed up the bakery at 5:00 PM on the dot, flipping the greeting sign to read ‘Closed’ on his way out. He had shooed Niall out earlier to make up for him getting in late, and despite Niall’s halfhearted protests he had eventually left, brainstorming ridiculous ideas for Harry’s bachelor’s party.

“You don’t look thrilled.” Niall had said, looking somewhat disappointed at Harry’s lack of reaction to his news about Louis.

“It’s not like that, Niall.” Harry had struggled to explain. “The rings are for this new idea he had-”

“But you’re getting married.” Niall had interrupted.

“I mean, yeah, eventually that’s the plan but not-”

“So why aren’t you excited?” Niall had demanded.

And Harry hadn’t really known how to tell Niall that Louis’ plans to propose to him actually didn’t mean much in this case. It wasn’t going to be a real proposal for a real wedding, or not yet at least. It did solidify their intentions of marrying someday, but Harry had no idea when that day would be.

Niall was beyond thrilled for him, though, and clearly proud to be the one bearing the news. And the thought of Louis dropping down on one knee and professing his love still made Harry’s stomach swoop in a way that he couldn’t quite describe. Free food would follow rather than a husband, but that was alright.

So Harry had laughed, shrugging it off and focusing on the thought of Louis. “It hasn’t happened yet, Nialler. We’ve still got a good amount of time before it does, I think.”

“Well, good. Plenty of time to figure things out then, eh? Stripper women are a _must_ at your bachelor’s party, mate. It’ll be your last chance for that for a long time.” Niall had said.

Harry had laughed again, teasing Niall about how that request was almost certainly a selfish one. Niall’s bachelor party ideas had gotten increasingly radical from there, from drunk skydiving to an orgy party. Harry had humored him easily, much more caught up on the idea of the wedding than the bachelor’s party.

So by the time he was closing up shop, Harry was relieved to clear his head and get back to reality. He couldn’t wait to tell Louis about Niall’s misinterpretation of the whole situation. Louis would get a kick out of the blonde’s enthusiasm, he was sure. And would probably join in on the orgy planning immediately.

Harry smiled fondly as he approached the Ice Cream Shoppe. Louis was nowhere in sight, so he dropped his lanky frame down to wait on the bench outside. He wasn’t quite sure how Louis had managed to be late despite having gotten off work literally hours earlier, but that was his boyfriend to the core. It had seemed like it might be strange this morning, but now their ice cream date seemed like the most normal part of his day.

“Harry!” Louis’ voice sounded out, which Harry had expected. What he had not expected, however, was for Louis to be walking out of the Ice Cream Shoppe, a look of flustered surprise on his face.

“Hey,” Harry greeted his boyfriend easily, pulling him close and pressing a kiss to his cheek before asking, “You got here before me?”

“Yep!” Louis replied with a grin, shrugging in an effort to be nonchalant. “C’mon, I can be early sometimes.”

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. “No, you can’t.” He teased playfully, but followed Louis willingly inside.

In retrospect, Harry should have noticed that something was off. The sweet old woman scooping ice cream was beaming at him like he was her long lost son, Louis was glancing up expectantly at every ice cream order that was brought out, and even the other customers seemed to be watching him out of the corners of their eyes.

But Harry focused on Louis, watching his eyes light up as their large ice cream sundae was brought out. “Lou, you won’t believe what Niall was telling me today-” Harry was saying, but Louis coughed loudly, interrupting him.

Harry hadn’t quite comprehended his reaction, but he instinctively began to reach over to pat Louis’ back, looking up at the lady who had just served their ice cream to ask her for some water. But as Harry’s arm reached out, Louis leaned forwards and pushed the giant ice cream towards his boyfriend’s face. 

Harry froze.

His arm was still half extended across the table, but Louis was no longer choking, just sitting nervously across from him. It was probably a good thing that Louis no longer needed assistance, because Harry’s gaze was fixated on the sundae in front of him. Or more specifically, on the gold band that crowned the cherry on top of their sundae.

“Oh my god.  _ Louis _ .”

Louis didn't respond, sliding swiftly out of his chair and dropping down on one knee.

“ _ Louis _ .” Harry hissed more urgently, panic rising in his throat. There was no way this was happening so soon. Louis had come up with the idea only last night, how could he possibly have orchestrated a proposal already?

“Harold Edward Styles,” Louis began in an unnecessarily loud voice.

Harry was acutely aware of the entire ice cream shop staring at them now. “Not my name.” He muttered under his breath.

“I first admitted I loved you three years ago today, in this very ice cream shop, in that little corner seat over there.” Louis gestured towards the table by the window, where Harry was absolutely positive he had never sat in his life. “Well, you wouldn't know that actually,” Louis said, glancing away with a sheepish laugh. “Because I didn't say anything then.”

A few of the onlookers chuckled, and Harry would have stared incredulously at them if he had been able to tear his eyes away from Louis’. He knew Louis was into acting and drama, but this was ridiculous.

“Harry, that moment was when it first hit me that I was in love with you,” Louis continued. “You were sitting across from me, finishing up your strawberry cone, and I remember thinking to myself that I wanted that moment to last forever. I didn't want to have to end the date, or to go home by myself that night. I didn’t want to be anywhere but with you.”

A few people “aww”ed, and Harry saw phones aimed at them to capture the whole thing. He didn’t even like strawberry ice cream.

“That was three years ago. I was already so gone for you, Haz. And now, here we are back in the same ice cream shop. And once again I'm hit by how much I want this, us, to last. And this time, I don't have to worry about us parting ways afterwards because I'm lucky enough to be living with you. But still, I can’t help but want more.”

Harry couldn’t do this. He vaguely wondered if they would still get free ice cream if he said no.

“I want to wake up with you every day for the rest of my life.” Louis said softly. “I want to love you, to take care of you, to grow old with you. And I promise that won’t ever change.” He drew in a deep breath, and plucked the gold ring from atop the cherry, holding it out towards Harry. “Harry Styles. Will you marry me?”

“Yes.” Harry breathed out, repeating himself a bit louder for the sake of the iPhones in the back. “Yes, oh my god. Of course, Louis.”

And then they were kissing. Harry did his best to keep it chaste - there were  _ families  _ here after all - but Louis had just proposed, so if the kiss was a bit deeper than was respectable, he really could care less.

 

They left the ice cream shop not too long after, Harry with his ring finger sticky from whipped cream and Louis with a triumphant smirk on his face.

“So.” Louis asked coolly as they got back to their flat. “What did you think?”

“I’m in love with a drama queen.” Harry replied, rolling his eyes fondly.

“True.” Louis agreed with a shrug, stepping towards Harry until their noses were inches apart. “Guess what, though.”

“What?” Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

“We just got the biggest ice cream sundae that they sell. Absolutely free.”

Earlier, in the ice cream shop Harry hadn’t been entirely sure how they ended up kissing. He didn’t know if he had initiated it, or if it had been Louis. But this time, it was definitely him. And they were out of public, away from families, and far from prying iPhone cameras. 

All of the mixed emotions he was feeling, he let out through his lips. The positivity from Louis’ proposal combined with the harsh realization that it wasn’t actually real came together in a way that was rough, but full of love.

Preoccupied with his “husband”, Harry didn’t get around to checking his phone until much later that night.

 

**To: Harry**

**From: Niall 5:47 PM**

_ im mad at u _

_ also I planned u an orgy _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so many fic ideas, so little time. comment your thoughts please, it really does make my day!
> 
> also feel free to say hi to me on tumblr: tempolarriefix.tumblr.com  
> I'll probably smother you in love if you do

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much if you're reading this! I don't usually post WIPs, but I also don't usually finish what I write either, so. please comment if you liked this, it'll absolutely make my day!


End file.
